


Inopportune Timing

by ibonekoen



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: AU, F/M, Genderswap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-24
Updated: 2011-06-24
Packaged: 2017-11-27 13:24:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/662489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ibonekoen/pseuds/ibonekoen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for a <a href="http://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/4418.html?thread=5240130#t5240130">prompt</a> at <a href="http://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/profile"><img class="i-ljuser-userhead"/></a><a class="i-ljuser-username" href="http://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/"></a><b>1stclass_kink</b>: <i>Erik meets Charlotte immediately before the events of X-Men: First Class in a pub. Raven dared her good sister to spend one entire day without using her powers completely. Ergo, Charlotte has no idea Erik is a mutant when they meet (or rather when she spills her drink on him by accident) and the two have a one night stand. Charlotte is pregnant during the movie, Erik doesn't know</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Inopportune Timing

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer:** Not mine. Property of Marvel. Just playing in their sandbox. ♥

Raven's lips curled into a smug smirk. "You can't do it, can you?" She leaned back against the cushioned back of the booth she'd commandeered as soon as she'd walked into the pub, watching as her sister's brow furrowed.

"I've still got three hours left," Charlotte shot back. "I hope you're prepared to hand over those boots as soon as that clock strikes midnight." She cast a pointed glance down at her sister's knee-high black leather kinky boots.

"You'll never make it," Raven said, a confident air about her as she picked up her beer and took a sip. "My boots are safe."

Charlotte couldn't stop her eyes from rolling, though she grinned as she finished her drink. "I'll get us another round," she announced as she slid out of the booth and stood up on wobbly legs. They'd already had a couple of drinks, thanks to some would-be suitors, but the night was still young, and Charlotte planned to celebrate her victory over Raven with a double shot of Scotch on the rocks.

The bet -- that she couldn't go a whole day without using her telepathic abilities -- had seemed silly at first. She had nothing to prove, after all; why should she just stop using her abilities to show that she could? Then Raven had sweetened the deal with promising to let Charlotte wear the brand new pair of boots she'd bought last week, boots Charlotte had been salivating over since she'd laid eyes on them. Raven had promised to let Charlotte wear the boots for a whole week -- it was just too good to pass up.

Charlotte scooped up Raven's empty glass and then made her way to the bar at the center of the room. It felt strange, having to actively block out everyone's thoughts, and she hadn't quite gotten used to the startling _quiet_ inside her mind. She was almost tempted to reach out to someone, just a quick, light brush of her mind against someone else's to settle herself, but she cast a glance back over her shoulder at Raven's boots and her determination to win increased.

She smiled at the bartender, handing him the empty glasses and ordering another beer for Raven and a Scotch on the rocks for herself. Drumming her fingers impatiently against the smooth surface of the bar, she fought the urge to take a tiny peek into the mind of the man settled on a stool next to where she stood. He just seemed so sad and lonely, and she could feel an itch on the back of her neck from wanting to touch his mind and give him a little cheer.

Before she could succumb to the urge, the bartender arrived with the drinks, and she gave him the money, including a generous tip. Grabbing up the glasses, she spun away from the bar and took a step. Her journey back to her table came to an abrupt half as she ran into the solid wall of a man's chest. Amber liquid sloshed out of her glass, drenching the man's shirt, and Charlotte felt her face heat up with embarrassment.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there!" she exclaimed as she stared at the wet spot on the man's chest. He was taller than her -- much taller -- and even with three inch heels, he seemed to tower over her.

"I think I should apologize," he said, his lips curling into a thin smile. "I could've moved out of your way." His blue eyes were captivating, and Charlotte barely even noticed Raven brushing past her, offering the man a wad of napkins.

"-such a klutz, I swear," she could hear Raven say, and she blinked, casting a confused glance at her sister.

"What?" she said. "I'm not a klutz!"

Raven chuckled, grinning as she slipped an arm around Charlotte's shoulders. "She's so defensive too," she said, addressing the man, whose eyes twinkled with amusement.

The man focused his attention on Charlotte, flashing a toothy grin that made her stomach flip-flop. "I don't think I caught your name," he said as he extended his hand.

"Charlotte," she said, feeling a zing go through her as she clasped his hand. "Charlotte Xavier."

"Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Xavier," the man said as he shook her hand. "Erik Lehnsherr."

~*~*~

Erik had joined them at the booth, his eyes still shining with amusement. Charlotte had felt the temptation to peek into his mind, but she'd pushed it aside with great effort. She'd still had a bet to win, after all.

Raven had been very obvious in her attempts at flirting with Erik, but he'd appeared to only have eyes for Charlotte, a quiet laugh slipping out of him every once in a while as Charlotte told terrible jokes that made Raven groan.

"You know, blue eyes are a genetic mutation," Charlotte said matter-of-factly after Erik had fetched the three of them another round of drinks. She'd lost track of how many they'd had, but she grinned as Erik slid back in on her side of the booth. She could see Raven glowering, but she ignored it for the moment, choosing to drape her arm around Erik's shoulders as she continued speaking. "We originally all had brown eyes, but a mutation in the 86th intron of the HERC2 gene caused a reduction in the expression of OCA2. That, in turn, caused a reduction in the production of melanin, which is, of course, what determines our eye color." She gave a triumphant grin, glancing from Erik to Raven and back again. "So, if it weren't for that, you'd have brown eyes."

Erik grinned, chuckling a bit. "Fascinating," he said.

Raven rolled her eyes, giving Charlotte an exasperated look. "Genetic mutation lectures again?" she said. "Char, I seriously need to teach you some better pickup lines." She shook her head and slid out of the booth. "Lemme show you how it's _really_ done, sis." She smirked and stood up, giving Erik a flirty wink before sauntering off to the bar.

Erik's eyes briefly flicked to Raven before returning to Charlotte, who had a cross expression on her face. Her arm had dropped from his shoulders when he'd looked away, and he chuckled, reaching out to gently bump his crooked finger under her chin. "Don't look so sour," he said. "I really did think it was a fascinating tidbit about my eyes." He shifted a little in his seat, leaning in closer to her. "What do you say we get out of here? My hotel's a short walk from here."

~*~*~

Charlotte's back hit the mattress with a soft thump, and she sank into it, body writhing and heart pounding rabbit-quick as Erik peppered her skin with stubble-roughened kisses and little nips. They'd started shedding clothes almost as soon as they'd gotten into the room, the door still swinging closed behind them. His immaculate black turtleneck had been the first article of clothing to go, and she'd toed off her heels, flinging them aside without a care. He'd drawn her to him, their lips colliding in a frantic kiss, both desperate for it.

She could feel herself slowly coming undone as Erik kissed his way down her body, and she felt the curve of his lips as he smirked against her thigh. His fingers hooked around the edge of her panties, and with a quick flick of his wrists, the last barrier between them was gone. She was no stranger to sex, but this time felt different; there was more anticipation. Normally, she would've connected with her partner's mind and would know what he was planning, what his next move was going to be, and she could subtly make mental suggestions that would steer him toward where she wanted him to be. Why she was keeping up that infernal bet with Raven, she had no idea, but she had to admit, her heart did seem to be beating faster, the mystery of not knowing what Erik was going to do next fueling her desire.

"Erik," she gasped, shifting a little under the weight of his gaze. He appeared to be just looking at her, his eyes sweeping over every inch of naked skin. He almost seemed to be memorizing her, and she shivered a little, tongue darting across her lips. "Please."

That soft plea spurred him into action, and he covered her body with his, savagely attacking her pert nipples with his mouth. Her back arched as her hand settled on the back of his head, and she moaned, fingers curling in his hair. Her skin tingled, each pull of his mouth on her nipple sending a shock wave of pleasure through her, and she shifted, curling a leg around him in invitation. He hadn't quite entered her, his cock was just resting against her, and she rolled her hips, trying to nudge him where she wanted him to go.

She heard the rumble in his chest before it registered that he was laughing quietly, and she bit back a groan, getting restless as he continued to lave attention on her nipples. "Erik, _please_ ," she moaned. This wasn't how this was supposed to go, dammit. He wasn't supposed to tease her with minute thrusts of his hips, his proud cock sliding against her clit and filling her belly with little hot zings. He was supposed to _fuck_ her, raw and hungry and senseless.

He took pity on her after a few more moments of pleasurable torture, and he captured her mouth with a hungry kiss as he slid into her. His tongue swallowed up her moan as he began to fuck her, pounding into her with relentless thrusts.

It wasn't until after he was buried inside her, his mouth open in a soundless cry, her nails digging into the soft skin of his back as his climax triggered hers, that she realized they'd forgotten to use protection.

~*~*~

"You have to tell him," Raven insisted as she cornered Charlotte in the bathroom.

Charlotte balked at her sister's words, the back of her hand pressed against the corner of her mouth. "No." She swallowed against the urge to vomit -- surely there was nothing left in her stomach after the violent upheaval her lunch had just taken -- and tried to push past Raven. She frowned as her sister held fast, one hand curled around the doorjamb, her arm barring Charlotte's passage into the hallway. "Raven..."

"No, Charlotte, not until you promise me that you'll _tell_ Erik," Raven snapped, "and don't try any of that mumbo jumbo mind tricks stuff. You know I can tell when you're in my head."

Charlotte's forehead crinkled as she frowned, and she shook her head. "I _can't_ , Raven," she insisted. "Not now. We're-" She pursed her lips, thinking about all the reasons why she couldn't tell Erik that she was pregnant. "It's...just not-" She sighed, adding weakly after a few moments of scrambling to put her thoughts into words, "The timing's not right."

After her passionate night with Erik Lehnsherr, she'd woken up in bed alone with a note stuck to his pillow. It had told her the room was paid for and she was welcome to stay as long as she'd liked, but pressing business had called Erik away. She'd hoped to see him again, and she'd gone back to the pub where they'd met every night for a month and a half, hoping to run into Erik. The only person she'd met was Moira McTaggert, a CIA agent from America, who'd been interested in her knowledge of genetics. Taking a peek into the agent's mind, Charlotte had been astonished to learn the woman had seen mutants with fantastic abilities. Charlotte's interest had been piqued, and Raven and she had traveled to America.

Of course, the last person she'd expected to come across on a raid of Sebastian Shaw's yacht was the very young man she'd been looking for -- Erik Lehnsherr. He'd been surprised to see her as well, but not half as surprised as she had been to learn he had an ability.

Raven snorted and shook her head, folding her arms over her chest. "You're stupid, you know that? He's got a right to know, Charlotte. He's the father of your _baby_!"

"Shh!" Charlotte hissed, scowling as she waved her arms frantically and glanced around to make sure no one had heard her sister. "Raven, _please_! You're the _only_ person that knows about the baby! The CIA would have a field day and probably take me off the mission and Erik-" She cut off, uncertainty flooding her. "Well, I don't really know what he'll think." She frowned, chewing her lower lip.

Raven sighed, her face softening. "I know this is hard for you, Charlotte," she said quietly. "You weren't expecting to get pregnant though. You're scared, I get that, but don't you think he deserves to know?"

"After we've stopped Shaw," Charlotte said. At Raven's disbelieving look, she frowned. "Raven, I _promise_."

Raven let out a huff and stepped back so she was no longer blocking Charlotte's exit. "Fine, but I'm holding you to that."

"Fine," Charlotte said, a bit flustered as she hurried down the hall to meet up with the father of her unborn child.

~*~*~

Erik arched an eyebrow, concern filling his eyes, as Charlotte blanched beside him on the seat. "Charlotte?" he asked quietly, fingers touching her elbow with tenderness. He'd hated having to leave her in London all those weeks ago, but he'd gotten a possible lead on Shaw's whereabouts. Little had he realized that tidbit would lead him on a path that bisected hers, so he'd been startled when he'd heard her voice in the cold night waters off the shore of Miami. Now, they were in a cab headed back to Virginia, trying to talk the driver into joining their little ragtag team of mutants to stop Shaw.

"I-I need to get out," Charlotte said, her tone bordering on panicked. "Darwin, please, stop the car."

The cab driver shot a bewildered look into the rearview mirror. "Lady, I'm in rush hour traffic in New York City. I can't just stop the car."

Charlotte's expression became distressed, and Erik could've almost sworn that her skin turned _green_. "Darwin," he said, putting a little heft and power into his tone, "unless you'd like to be cleaning puke out of your cab, I suggest you stop."

Darwin's eyes widened, and he threw on the turn signal seconds before he veered into the right lane. Charlotte's stomach lurched a bit, and she reached up to press her fingers to her lips as the cab pulled up to the curb. She flashed Erik an apologetic look before climbing out of the cab and hurrying into the nearest shop. Erik hesitated for a heartbeat before fixing Darwin with a stern stare. "Don't go anywhere." Then he was barreling out of the cab and heading into the shop Charlotte had disappeared into, a laundromat.

"Excuse me, did a young brunette just run in here?" he asked the lady behind the counter, and she pointed toward the back of the building, where he saw a sign for the restrooms. He thanked her with a nod and moved back, rapping his knuckles against the door. "Charlotte?"

"I'm fine!" came the muffled reply. "I'll be-"

Erik frowned as she cut off, and he took a step back from the door, trying to show his concern without appearing to be hovering. This wasn't the first time on their road trip to recruit mutants that Charlotte had gotten sick suddenly like this, and he was beginning to wonder if there was more to it than just her being nauseous. The first couple of times, she'd passed it off as food poisoning, but surely that had worked its way out of her system days ago.

When she finally emerged from the restroom, Erik was pleased to see that a little color had returned to her skin. She smiled, brushing her hair back away from her face. "All right," she said. "I'm ready to go now."

"Are you sure you're all right?" Erik asked, caution in his voice as he took hold of her elbow and began to lead her back outside. "I'm worried."

Charlotte managed a weak smile. "Oh, no, I'm fine," she said. "It was just, uh-" She faltered, knowing that she couldn't use the food poisoning excuse again. "I-"

Erik's eyes narrowed. "You aren't making yourself throw up on purpose, are you?" he asked.

She blinked, surprised by the question, and shook her head. "No, Erik, no, I-" She swallowed. "Could we talk about this later? Darwin's waiting and I assume the meter is still running."

"Who cares? The CIA's footing the bill anyway," he said. His expression softened as he stopped just inside the door, drawing her around to face him. "I just want to make sure you're okay, Charlotte."

She felt a fluttering in her heart as she looked up at him, and she smiled. "I'm fine, Erik," she said, touching her hand to his cheek. "Don't worry."

He hesitated a brief moment before turning his head and pressing a gentle kiss to the heel of her hand. Before she had a chance to acknowledge it, he'd pulled away, turning back to the door. "All right," he said, pushing the door open and holding it for her. "Let's go."

~*~*~

Training the young mutants Erik and Charlotte gathered took up most of their time, and when Charlotte wasn't admonishing Erik for pushing students off satellite dishes and he wasn't trying to get her to shoot him so he could flex his abilities by catching a single bullet, the attraction between them was undeniable. Charlotte's sickness seemed to settle down, and Erik forgot about the strangeness of it in favor of pursuing Charlotte.

He smiled down at her, cradled in his arms. They were lying together in her bed, her brunette hair spread out on her pillow as Erik held her against his chest. She was sleeping, one arm slung across Erik's hips, and he brushed the backs of his fingers across her cheekbone.

"Ich liebe dich," he whispered as he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. She shifted in her sleep, sighing a bit, and snuggled closer to him, prompting him to chuckle quietly and curl his arms more tightly around her.

~*~*~

"Erik, please!" Charlotte shouted, tears streaming down her face. "Don't do this!" She had two fingers pressed to her temple, her anguish evident on her face. She had psychically linked with Shaw, freezing him and stopping him from detonating the nuclear warhead in his submarine. The only problem was Erik -- through Shaw's eyes, she could see her lover, see the anger etched across his face. Through Shaw's ears, she could hear his words, knew what he was planning to do with that silver coin.

Raven stood beside her, and her lips moved with the intention of speaking, but Charlotte blocked her out, speaking to Erik through Shaw. She knew that it was doing no good though and, as Erik used his ability to push the coin through Shaw's forehead and into his brain, she let out an agonized scream that made everyone in and around the wrecked plane cringe. She managed to disconnect from Shaw mere seconds before he died, and she staggered back, collapsing into the arms of a startled Raven.

~*~*~

They were there on the tip of her tongue, two seemingly innocent words that could change their lives forever -- three, if she added his name. _I'm pregnant._ That would have to be reason enough for him to stop the missiles careening toward the Russian and US ships. What kind of a man would let hundreds of lives perish when they've just learned they had a hand in creating a new one?

She could feel Raven's yellow eyes, the woman's guise of a normal human being cast off what seemed like ages ago, bore into her, and she opened her mouth, poised to tell him exactly why he should stop.

"Because they're good people just following orders," she said instead, and she could _feel_ Raven cringing behind her.

That was clearly the wrong thing to say because he growled, "I've been under the mercy of good men just following orders. Never again."

When the first shot rang out, Charlotte gasped and jumped in surprise, the sound of missiles exploding harmlessly in the sky trailing on the shot's heels, and she spun to see Erik deflecting the bullets Moira fired at him. Raven stretched her hand out to Charlotte, yelling at her, and Charlotte moved, intending to race toward her sister.

She heard the metallic ping seconds before her lower back exploded in searing pain, and she fell to the sand with an anguished cry.

~*~*~

She must've blacked out for a few seconds because when she opened her eyes, Erik's worried face hovered in her line of sight, and she smiled as she reached up to touch his cheek.

"This is what they wanted, for us to turn against each other. I tried to warn you," Erik said in a strained voice. He tore his gaze away from Charlotte, glaring at Moira, who still held the gun, a shocked expression on her pale face. " _You_ did this!" He lifted his hand, the chain around Moira's neck tightening and choking her.

Charlotte took a deep breath, shaking her head. "No, Erik, you did." She hated seeing the anguish on his face at her words, but she felt relief when she saw that he released Moira.

He cradled her in his lap, his face softening with tenderness and affection. "I want you by my side, Charlotte," he said, his words leaving him in a hushed tone. "We're brothers and sisters, all of us. We want the same thing."

She let out a pained laugh, shaking her head. "Oh, my friend, I'm sorry but we do not."

_Tell him!_ she heard Raven yell, and she winced, eyes closing.

Even as Raven and Erik were lining up with the mutants remaining from Shaw's crew, Charlotte could hear Raven's voice in her mind, urging her to tell Erik about the pregnancy. The words wouldn't pass her lips though, and in a flash of smoke and light, Erik was gone, leaving behind only a trace of brimstone.

~*~*~

Nine months seemed to pass in the blink of an eye, and Raven made her way to the room Erik had taken over as his study. She didn't bother knocking, just opened the door and barged in, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Erik, we need to talk," she said.

He barely glanced up from the book he was reading, his helmet resting on his head. Raven was half-convinced that he slept with it. "What is it, Raven?" he asked, sounding disinterested.

She rolled her eyes as she strode over to Erik and yanked the book out of his hand. She knew it was risky, but she had to get his attention somehow. "You need to go see Charlotte."

His brow furrowed in annoyance as she yanked his book away, and then he frowned. "Why?"

Here, Raven hesitated. Telling Erik about Charlotte's pregnancy would be so easy, but she thought that he needed to figure it out for himself. "You just need to go see her, Erik," she said. "I know you still love her."

Erik didn't flinch, he merely narrowed his eyes. "Are you finished?" he said quietly.

She wrinkled her nose, shaking her head a bit. "Yeah, fine, just think about what I said, okay? It's really important." With that, she turned and strode out of the room, grumbling under her breath.

He retrieved his book and opened it back to the page he'd been reading, but after a few moments, he put the book back down. He couldn't get Raven's words out of his head, and his curiosity was getting the best of him. Why would Raven want him to visit Charlotte? Well, he supposed there was only one way to find out.

~*~*~

Charlotte gave a loving smile to the baby boy cradled in her arms. She'd finally gotten the two month old infant asleep, and she sighed, just basking in the comfort of holding her baby. "You look just like your father," she said quietly as she brushed her thumb over the baby's cheek.

She'd just settled him into the sling she wore across her shoulders so that she could have her hands free to wheel herself around when the French doors blew open of their own accord, hitting the walls with a loud bang. She gasped, jumping a little, and then groaned as the baby's wail pierced the air.

"Oh, Erik, please don't cry," she said with a sigh as she picked the baby up from the sling and cradled him against her chest.

Erik strode into the study and froze as he heard the wails of a baby. Well, that was unexpected. He faltered, his grandiose entrance basically wasted. Whose baby was that? He blinked in surprise as he replayed in his mind what she'd said as he'd entered. She'd called the baby-

And suddenly it hit him, why Raven had been so adamant that he visit Charlotte -- the baby was _his_.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he growled, the metal candlesticks on the fireplace mantle shaking. "You were pregnant the entire time we were searching for-" He drew in a startled breath, his eyes widening as the pieces of the puzzle began to click into place. "That's why you were so sick." He scowled, stalking over to her. "Why didn't you tell me, Charlotte? You had plenty of opportunities."

Charlotte frowned, trying to ignore him as she rubbed her hand over baby Erik's back. He was still crying, his face turning red, and Erik stared down at the little boy with hesitation before holding out his hands.

"Let me," he said quietly.

Charlotte's eyes rose to meet his gaze, and she looked unsure for a moment. "Have you held a baby before?" she asked.

"Of course," Erik lied easily, thankful for the helmet he wore so Charlotte couldn't sense his thoughts.

She still looked skeptical, but she was exhausted, and little Erik's wails were beginning to grate on her nerves, so she passed her baby to Erik. "He's been a bit cranky today." She breathed a sigh of relief as Erik settled the baby against his chest, one arm bracing his bottom and one hand on his back. Charlotte's eyes widened as the baby immediately quieted, and Erik gave a pleased smile, speaking quietly in German to the baby. The sight made Charlotte's heart ache.

"You knew, and you didn't say anything," he said after a few moments. "Why?"

She sighed, folding her hands in her lap. "The timing was never right," she said. "I'd given up hope of ever seeing you again after that first night, and then you showed up out of nowhere, turned out to be a mutant with a vendetta, and then..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "I wanted to tell you that day on the beach, but circumstances prevented me from doing so."

"You should've told me," Erik snapped, glancing down at the baby in his arms.

"Would it have really changed things, Erik?" Charlotte said, sadness tainting her tone. "Would you have stayed just because I was pregnant?"

The word 'yes' lingered on his tongue, but he couldn't bring himself to speak it aloud. "No," he answered after a few moments, winced a bit at the crestfallen look on her face.

"I expected as much," she said quietly. she sighed, wrinkling her nose. "Raven told you." She looked a little cross, her forehead creasing as she frowned.

"No," Erik said with a shake of his head as he absently rocked the baby in his arms. "She hinted that I needed to come see you, but she wouldn't give me a reason why." He hesitated, his eyes settling on her wheelchair for the first time since he entered the study. His throat caught, a sharp ache forming in his chest. "Charlotte..."

Charlotte swallowed heavily, feeling tears prickling at her eyes. "I'm glad you came, even if I was less than honest with you," she said in a soft tone. She smiled, her gaze focusing on the baby, who'd laid his cheek against Erik's shoulder. His eyes were closed, and it was obvious that he was asleep, Erik's hand stroking his back. "I can't believe it. He usually puts up more of a fuss when it's bedtime."

Erik startled a little as he glanced down and saw the sleeping baby, and his lips twitched into a half-smile. "I suppose he just needed his father," he said, a touch of smugness in his voice that made Charlotte roll her eyes.

"Come," she said, wheeling her chair around and heading for the door. "I'll show you the nursery."

~*~*~

After getting baby Erik settled into his crib, Erik stroked his fingers over the baby's cheek, still marveling. He knew Charlotte was watching him, hovering behind him, and he glanced over his shoulder, motioning toward the door.

She glared at him for a moment before managing to get herself turned around, and he felt that ache in his chest again as he saw how well she maneuvered the chair. It didn't stop him from stepping forward and grasping the handles, and he heard her soft gasp as he gently pushed the chair forward.

"Your room?" he asked, pushing her out of the nursery and out into the hall. He'd noticed that the nursery was on the first floor and thought it a bit strange to put the baby so far away from her own room...unless- "Or have you taken a room downstairs?"

Charlotte swallowed. "Downstairs," she said, nodding toward a closed door across the hall. "It's just easier that way." She dropped her gaze to her lap, folding her hands together.

Erik frowned and then hesitated as he made a flicking motion with his fingers and the doorknob turned. "I could fix things so that you could go upstairs again," he said softly as he made the door swing open. He pushed her chair into the room, feeling along the wall for the light switch.

Charlotte gave an indelicate snort. "No, that's quite all right," she said. "This house has been in the Xavier family for generations. It has remained the same for generations. When General Xavier returned from the Civil War with an amputated leg, he wasn't able to use the stairs and he made due. I shall do the same."

Erik rolled his eyes as he wheeled her over to the bed. "Stubborn woman," he growled, though there was a touch of fondness in his voice. He flipped the brake levers on the wheelchair and then slid his arm underneath the backs of her knees.

"What are you doing?" Charlotte asked, her pulse quickening as his other arm slid across her back.

"Helping you into bed," Erik said simply.

"That isn't-" Charlotte gasped as he lifted her out of the chair, and she flung her arms around his neck to steady herself. "-necessary, Erik. I could've-" She clamped her mouth shut, pressing her lips together in a tight, thin line, as he glowered at her.

Erik took great care in laying Charlotte down on the bed, shifting her just enough that he could draw the covers back. She shook her head when he tried to cover her up with them, and he sighed a bit before sitting down on the edge of the bed. He cast a glance around the room, which was decorated in a neutral cream color and looked nothing at all like something Charlotte would pick for herself. _A guest room, then_ , he thought, hating the idea of Charlotte giving up her own bedroom because of her disability _that I caused_.

When he returned his gaze to her, he found that she was looking at him with an intent gleam in her eyes. He was half-tempted to say something as childish as _Take a picture, it'll last longer_ , but he held his tongue, waiting.

It was him who finally broke the silence with a whispered "I'm sorry," and just like that, it was as if the proverbial floodgates had been broken, and he bowed his head, resting his forehead against her thigh, just above her knee. A few minutes passed before he realized the emblem on his helmet was probably digging into her leg; he'd straightened and whipped the dome-shaped metal off his head before it had registered that she probably couldn't have felt it anyway. It was too late to put the helmet back on though, because he felt the warm and all-too-familiar touch of Charlotte's mind against his, and tears welled up in his eyes.

"Charlotte, I'm so sorry," he said, a desperate note in his tone. "I never meant-" A touch of her finger against his lips silenced him, and he could do little more than stare at her with sad eyes.

She drew her hand away and patted the space next to her on the bed, her lips curving into a smile. He didn't need to be asked twice, standing and unfastening the clasps of his cape, the purple material swirling as it fell from his shoulders. He set the helmet on her bedside table, and then moved around to the other side of the bed. By the time he joined her on the bed, he'd shed most of his clothing, retaining only his boxers, and he settled on his side next to her.

"I can't stay," he said quietly.

"You won't stay," she corrected, smiling as she touched his cheek. "You're welcome to see him any time you like, Erik. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

He gave her a weak smile and then drew her close, his arm sliding around her waist as his fingers tangled in her hair. His lips touched hers in a tender kiss, and she sighed into his mouth, melting into him.

~*~*~

In the morning, when she awoke, the space next to her was predictably empty, and it took great effort to push away the hot tears clouding her vision. Erik must've just left scant minutes before she'd woken up because his pillow was still indented and smelled of him when Charlotte pressed it to her nose. She hugged the pillow to her chest and managed to roll herself over, intending to curl up and go back to sleep for a few minutes. Her eyes fell on the bedside table, and in the spot where Erik had laid his helmet, there was a note.

_"Our son will be safe. I'll make sure of it. Ich liebe dich, Charlotte."_  


  



End file.
